Weston Swimming Club members secured a superb second spot in the final of the Southern Junior League.

WESTON Swimming Club members gave a superb display in the Southern Junior League final to finish second.

Only six teams contested the final, which had been whittled down from 26 at the start of the season. They were: Swim Bournemouth A (winners in 2012), Weston (winners in 2011), SX3A, Seagulls, Bristol Penguins and Trowbridge.

Swim Bournemouth started incredibly strongly, winning four of the first six events, with Weston’s 10-year-old medley relay quartet (Freya, Caitlyn, Sarah and Beth) the pick of the bunch in claiming a second place.

The next five events all generated second places – 12-year-old boy’s medley relay (James, Evan, Mason and Joe H) and their female counterparts (Immy, Jess, Megan and Holly), Madeleine Soper (25m freestyle), Joe Reeves (25m freestyle) and Caitlyn Wallis (50m breaststroke).

Event 13 saw Weston land their first win of the night, courtesy of Rachel Anderson in the 50m backstroke. This was soon followed by two more triumphs – a sensational 25m breaststroke from Ellie Redman and another commanding 50m fly swim from Rachel.

These wins were punctuated by a super second for Freya King (50m back). After 25 events, Weston’s 99 points placed them second, 16 clear of the Seagulls, but 25 behind Bournemouth.

In event 35, Freya King recorded a second in the 50m freestyle, while four events later, Rachel Anderson lands her third win of the night, swimming up an age group in the 12s 50m backstroke.

Going into the final nine relay events, Weston were second, but SX3A were breathing down their necks just six points behind.

Some awesome relay swimming saw Weston placed second in six of the last nine events – nine years medley (Caitlin, Ellie, Bethan A and Madeleine), 10 year girls’ freestyle (Caitlyn, Sarah, Freya and Beth), 10 year boy’s freestyle (George, Ben J, Jackson, Ben B-W), 11 year girls’ medley (Charlotte, Bethan R, Rachel and Ruby), 12 year girls’ freestyle (Holly, Immy, Megan and Jess) and 12 year boy’s freestyle (James, Mason, Evan and Joe H).

At the final count, it was Swim Bournemouth who deservedly won with a colossal 228 points, a super second for Weston (181), third were SX3A (170) with Seagulls (154), Penguins (148) and Trowbridge (143) closely bunched at the bottom.

This was a great team effort, with several swimmers swimming up an age group on account of swimmer unavailability on the night and an improvement of two places on last year’s final.

Congratulations go to: Caitlin Ashurst, Bethan Anderson, Ellie Redman, Madeleine Soper, Freya King, Caitlyn Wallis, Sarah Carr, Beth Bryant, Rachel Anderson, Ruby Soper, Charlotte Stanbury, Bethan Rees, Immy Moroney, Jess Dadds, Holly Richards, Megan Richards, Owen Mercer, Joe Reeves, Ben Bradley-Wilson, Noah Statter, Charlie Deakin, Ben Jones, Jackson Harper, George Langman, Jenson Hathaway, Evan Brunsdon, Harry Reynolds, Toby Daniel, Joe Ham, James King and Mason Boobyer. Well done to Lottie Dadds, Robson Bird, Jayden Boobyer and Oscar Rogers who represented the club so well in earlier rounds.

Trials are always available for those who wish to join the club, email Rachel Aldington – headcoach@)weston-super-mare-swimming-club.co.uk

For Learn to Swim information (small group lessons for ages four to nine years), email Zara Gardner - ltswsmsc@hotmail.co.uk or for water polo/masters, email Mike Coles - secretary@weston-super-mare-swimming-club.co.uk